


/Untit1ed/

by DarchangelSkye



Category: American Idol RPF, Music RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Caretaking, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dialogue Heavy, Fluff without Plot, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Language, Sick Character, Sickfic, Tumblr Prompt, Wordcount: 100-2.000, good boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-06-03 22:45:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6630007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarchangelSkye/pseuds/DarchangelSkye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>from a couple anon prompts for h/c sick!fic fluff, so here they be.</p>
    </blockquote>





	/Untit1ed/

**Author's Note:**

> from a couple anon prompts for h/c sick!fic fluff, so here they be.

Feebly Dalton scrambled in the dark for the faucet and kept his cheek on the tub's ledge as the water did its rinsing work. The lower half of his body was sprawled on the floor as if his spine had decided not to function anymore. Every part of him felt lousy, even to the roots of his hair. A wordless moan escaped his lips. Flu must've been picked up from one those hug-happy fans. _Least that's the worst thing you've ever got from a groupie._

Dalton made the mistake of laughing at his own joke for a second before the pounding sensation in his head returned and heel of his palm immediately slapped to temple. "Shiiit..." And MacKenzie would definitely have to steer clear for a few days; that was never any fun. Slowly he tried scrambling to a sitting position to put a washcloth on his face.

He couldn't count how long it was later, but there was the soft shuffle of feet downstairs, meaning MacKenzie was certainly home. And that meant any second he was going to wonder why the lights had been off in the house and probably come upstairs and see him like this. Shit. Soon those feet were ascending the stairs and he heard a soft "...Dalton?", which made his heart race for all the wrong reasons. He heard the door creak open and curled back into a ball on the floor.

"Don't...contag-" was all that came out before a new hot rush of pain hit his throat and he had to clamp his mouth shut.

"Oh-" He heard MacKenzie walking across tile behind him and felt a gentle flat palm between his shoulder blades. "Babe, I don't care..." came as softly as the rubbed circle. Any other time Dalton would be arching at that touch, but right now he only twitched and shivered. Shit, had he washed all his face?

MacKenzie pet for another minute before he murmured lovingly, "I'll go make up the bedroom for you, and then I'll help you, okay?" Dalton tried opening his mouth to croak he'd be better off on the couch because he couldn't make Mack sick too, but nothing came out. Well, at least nothing was better than another stream of yuck.

After MacKenzie got back up, Dalton shut his eyes again and just listened to his boyfriend's footsteps. The layout of the house had certainly been memorized by now that he knew where the other man was going. There was the fluffing of pillows and straightening of bed sheets, then MacKenzie going back downstairs, likely to brew some tea or soup or something. He really was lucky to have somebody so sweet...

He must have had one of those quick involuntary naps or otherwise had just spaced out, because the next thing he knew MacKenzie was back in the bathroom with a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, how we doin'?" he whispered.

Dalton licked his lips (ugh, still some yuck) and tried turning his head to look MacKenzie in those sweet sympathetic eyes. _Whimper, whimper..._

"That awesome, huh?" MacKenzie grinned a little and pecked Dalton's hair to show his statement wasn't done in malice before slipping his arms around the young man's waist. "I know, babe. Let's get you up to bed, and we'll work everything else from there...ready?"

"'kay..." Dalton limped into the hold and curled much as he could without breathing any foulness into his boyfriend's face. Feet shuffled along the floor and within a minute he was eased onto the comfortable and familiar pillows. A wet cloth swiped over his mouth and another was set on his forehead.

"Ahhh..." Oh, next best thing to an impossible bath. Dalton idly licked the water droplets that traveled to his chin and kept his focus on the ceiling.

"There we go..." MacKenzie opened a few buttons on Dalton's shirt to wipe the forehead cloth over his chest. "Want some tea?"

Damn, his nose was so clogged on top of everything else he hadn't even smelt any. "Sure..." At least he felt less sweaty than a few minutes ago. OK, now a matter of sitting up to reach the tea...huh? Oh shit, couldn't move, spine sapped out again. He clamped his eyes shut to stop the flow of useless frustrated tears.

Gentle hands touched his cheeks and thumbs rubbed under his eyes. "Hey...Dalt, relax, it's OK. I know it doesn't feel OK, but I got you."

Shallow breathing, shallow breathing...it took a lot of willpower as his eyelashes felt stuck to his face with tears, but Dalton tried opening his eyes to his boyfriend's loving expression.

"Hang on..." Before Dalton could protest that no, he was gonna get sick too, MacKenzie crawled onto the mattress and encased Dalton in a careful upright hold that tucked head under his chin. Oh, soft, safe and warm... "There we go," MacKenzie reached for the tea cup and gently nestled it in Dalton's hands. "Should help."

Whatever he said. Dalton let the cup sit for a moment for its warmth to seep into his clammy skin before setting it with a shaky hold to his lips. Either his senses were all out of whack as well or the taste was something both creamy and smoky. He took little sips less for the flavor than for knowing Mack wanted him to get the drink down.

For his part, MacKenzie was raking fingers through his hair slowly enough to make scratching sounds like he was playing with straw. _Oh man, you're really out of it._ But at least it felt good.

"Any idea where you got this?" he heard the murmur above him and almost far away.

Listless shrug. "Fan with a bug, I guess. Y'might wanna..." He gave a labored breath. "Wanna use the guest bath for a bit."

"Mhmm." MacKenzie kept his arms cuddled around and a cheek on his hair. "Have I mentioned lately you're still adorable?"

Dalton playfully rolled his eyes; flatterer even when he felt like crap. "Wasn't exactly lookin' adorable heaving my guts."

MacKenzie held to his hands, letting the touch of their fingers linger for a sweet moment before prying the emptied tea cup away. "No one can look good all the time."

"Ain't much left over if you don't look good..." Dalton was far from falling asleep but still went sleepily limp in his boyfriend's hold.

"Of course there is, I didn't fall for you or want to be with you because you're pretty, babe. Even if that is true." MacKenzie continued to pet.

"Hrrrm..." There was also a plate of those ultra-plain crackers on the bedside table and Dalton listlessly reached for one. For once he relished the blandness as he rubbed it along the edges of his teeth, letting that do the work instead of manually chewing.

"Those alright?"

"Hm," Dalton nodded just as listlessly; at least this was something in his system that couldn't be sicked up.

"Good." MacKenzie kissed his temple and stroked the back of his neck. "See? On the mend already. What a superman you are."

Part of Dalton's mouth went up in what could be a smile. "Sure I'll feel nicer after a shower..." Just not in the tub right now, let all the gunk soak away first. "Yer soft," he whispered and let a hand rest casually on Mack's knee.

"I like soft, particularly your hands." The sentence ended in the softest of whispers, and Dalton looked up to see a faint redness on his face and a smile. "Sorry, it's automatic."

Dalton curled his fingers, wondering whether to ease up on the touch or not. "Y'already got enough of my cooties..."

"Don't mind your cooties," MacKenzie said simply, and Dalton knew there was no sense arguing. "You OK to lie back down?"

"Uh huh." He let Mack slowly lean them back until heads were touching pillows again and he sighed in gentle relief. "You'd think with everything else I've dealt with, I shouldn't feel so shitty about a flu."

"Nobody likes being sick, doesn't matter what it is." MacKenzie slipped away his glasses to set them on the bedside table and nuzzled his nose in Dalton's neck.

Sigh. "Having a nice doc helps, at least."

"Hmm?" Mack got up on his elbows so he and Dalton could look eye to eye. "Haven't you had nice doctors?" his question was laced with worry.

Shit, he hated making MacKenzie worried. "Yeah, I did, it's OK, babe. Just those weird days when it felt like I wasn't being listened to, you know?" Or maybe he didn't know, hearts and brains were like apples and oranges.

Fortunately Mack's expression stayed loving. "I'm glad they listened to you."

"Yours too." At least his eyes didn't feel the need to well up again over that. Dalton managed to curl onto his side with only a slight flinch in his muscles and laid a hand on his boyfriend's hair. Loving care was working already...

"Ahh, always with the hair...I love that you figured that out," MacKenzie smiled and nestled into Dalton's body much as possible. "My favorite lover feeling better?"

Half a smile at that. "'dunno if I feel like being a lover right now, sorry..." Ugh, sickness, the ultimate libido killer. "But stomach's settled."

Mack shook his head. "Don't be sorry, Dalt. Just because our sex life is awesome doesn't mean it's all I want from you." He kissed Dalton's temple and let ankles lazily lock together. "I just want you to know you're loved no matter what."

Yeah, it was pretty awesome. Still, Dalton made a silent promise to make up for it and then some when he felt better. He stroked the shell of MacKenzie's ear and his eyes started fluttering in relaxation. "Sweet like peaches."

Another temple kiss and MacKenzie brought the blankets up to their waists. "Glad. Little snooze for your health's sake?"

"Uh huh." Dalton slipped his free arm under the pillow, as cool as his boyfriend's body was warm. "Thank you...love you..."

"Love you too," he heard the murmur by his ear before cozily drifting.


End file.
